1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to a system and method for providing an easily adjustable connector having a hydraulic and pneumatic chamber.
A connector for use in for example as a third point connector for a tractor has a hydraulic and pneumatic chamber for providing an easy method to adjust the length of the third point connector to thereby change the angle between the tractor and an implement attached to the tractor. By using a hydraulic and pneumatic chamber, the overall length of the connector can be rapidly changed without adding or subtracting hydraulic fluid. When a release valve is opened, the two sides of the connector can be moved towards or away from each other as air enters from the environment or exits as needed to balance the pressure inside the connector. With the valve closed, changes in the length of the connector are resisted as a change the pressure inside the chamber that would result from the change in the size of the inner chamber are countered by the incompressible hydraulic fluid. The small amount of air does allow for a slight cushion against the forces as the incompressible hydraulic fluid prevents larger swings in the length of the connector. One or more of the opposing ends may have threaded connectors to allow for general size changes to the connector, that is the threaded connector sets an overall length about which the hydraulic chamber provides a range of lengths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Accordingly, it is a principal object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide an improved connector having a hydraulic and pneumatic chamber.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved third point connector having an easily adjustable length.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved third point connector having a release valve for selectively allowing or preventing changes in length of the third point connector.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved third point connector having a release valve for selectively allowing or preventing a piston from moving relative to the third point connector within a hydraulic chamber to allow or prevent changes in the length of the third point connector.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved third point connector having pneumatic chamber within or in communication with the hydraulic chamber to act as a shock absorber to protect devices attached to the third point connector.
It is yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved third point connector having pneumatic chamber connecting opposite sides of a hydraulic chamber to allow small corrections to the length of the piston to cushion devices attached about the connector.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. These objects of the present invention are not exhaustive and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed invention. Further, it must be understood that no one embodiment of the present invention need include all of the aforementioned objects of the present invention. Rather, a given embodiment may include one or none of the aforementioned objects. Accordingly, these objects are not to be used to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.